9-year-old girl accidentally kills gun instructor in Arizona

Authorities have said that a nine-year-old girl accidentally shot and killed a gun instructor in White Hills, Arizona on Monday.

According to the Associated Press, Mohave County sheriff's officials said that Charles Vacca was pronounced dead at a hospital a short time after the accidental shooting occurred.

BBC News reported that the 39-year-old instructor was showing the young girl how to use an Uzi at the Last Stop shooting range. At one point, she attempted to pull the trigger, but lost her grip and shot the instructor.

The child’s parents were at the range with her and filmed their daughter getting the lesson. The family was said to be on vacation from New Jersey.

The video footage has since been edited and released by the sheriff’s department.

In the 26-second clip, Vacca appears to be showing the little girl how to stand and fire the weapon before the fatal accident occurs. The actual shooting is not shown.

Since the incident, several gun owners and firearm experts have said that a nine-year-old should not have been given and expected to control the automatic weapon.